Folding shipping-crate.



No. 659,I65. Patented Oct. 2, |900.

A. BRAUN E. MGPHERSUN.

FOLDING SHIPPING CRATE.

(no Model (Application led Nov. 6, 1899.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.

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NITED v STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT BRAUN AND ELI MCPHERSON, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOLDING' SHIPPING-CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 659,165, dated October 2, 1900. yllpplication led November 6, 1899. Serial No. 735,996. (No model.)

To all whoml it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALBERT BRAUN and ELI MOPHERSON, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Shipping-Crates, of which the following is a specication, reference being had-therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in folding crates, and is particularly adapted to be used as an eggcrate, the primary object of the invention being to construct a crate which after the contents ha'fe been removed can be folded in a neat and compact bundle for reshipment as an empty Briefly described, our invention consists of a crate comprising a base 'or bottom, with strips secured tol the upper face thereof at each end and with strips of greater depth secured on the upper face of the bottom, along the front and rear edge thereof. The end walls of the crate are hinged to these end strips, and the front and rear side walls are hinged to the front and rear strips. A strip is arranged centrally on the upper Vface of the base or bottom and has hinged thereto a partition for dividing the crate into two coinpartments when set up. Means are attached to this partition and also to the end walls for connecting the same with the front and rear walls of the crate fory holding the same in the built-up form. A top, lid, or cover vis connected by links to the rear wall of the crate, these links being of especial construction and their connection with the rear wall being such as to hold the lid elevated or to permit of the same being lowered vertically against the rear wall of the crateand folded simultaneously therewith when folding the crate. All of this particular construction entering into our invention will be hereinafter specifically described and then particularly pointed out in theclaim, and in describing theA invention 'in detail reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein like numerals'of reference indicate like parts throughout the differant views, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of our improved crate with the top or cover open and held in the elevated position. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a part of the crate when in the built-up form, showing the connection of one of the links with the top or cover. Fig. 3 is an inverted perspective view of a part ot' the top or cover, showing the connection of the other end of the link with-said top or cover. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of one of the' links detached and partly broken away. Eig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal view of our improved crate when in the built-np form. Fig. 6 is a like View of the same when folded. Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical sectional View takenl on the line A A of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a like view taken on the line B B of Eig. 6. Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical sectional view, partly broken away, illustrating the connection of one of the links with the top or cover and with the rear wall of the crate.

To the base or bottom 1 of the box are secured end strips `2 and side strips 4 and 4', said side strips being of greater depth than the end strips in order to permit the folding of the parts, as will be hereinafter described. The end walls 3 are hinged, as at 6, to the end strips 2 and are adapted to fold inwardly toward each other. The front wall 5 is hinged, as at 6', to the side strip 4, and the rear wall 7 is hinged, as at 8, to the side strip 4. The front Wall 5 and the rear wall 7 are each provided on their inner face,near the upper ends, with eyes 9, adapted to receive the hooks 10, pivotally secured to the ends 3 such hooks and eyes forming a fastening means to hold the sides and ends in the built-np form. A

partition 11 is hinged, as at 13, to a strip 12, secured on the base or bottom 1, this partition separating the crate into two compartments for convenience in packing the eggs, as is usually done in crates of this character. For fastening this partition in the upright position we pivotally secure thereto, near its upper end, hooks 26, which engage in eyes carlied by the front Wall 5 and rear wall 7.

The top or cover has secured in recesses provided therefor in the rear edge of said topy or cover 'keepers 15, securely held by screws 16.- These keepers are arranged one near each end of the top or cover and receive one end of the links 17, held within the keepers by the head 18, formed on the one end of the links. rlhelinks are bowed near this headed end 1S, as shown at 18, for the purpose of holding the lid or cover elevated in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, as the lid or cover when in this position has been thrown backward beyond the vertical line, causing the bowed part 1 8 to engage the rear wall 7 and prevent. further backward movement of such lid or cover. The links extend through recesses 19, provided thereforin the upper edge of the rear wall 7, and have their other ends provided with a head 22, secured in keepers 20, connected to the under face of the lid or cover, near the front edge thereof. The top, lid, or cover is hinged to the rear wall 7 by passing the links 17 through staples 25, inserted in the rear wall 7, atan angle thereto, with the loops of the staples registering with the recesses 19 and projecting outward from the rear wall a sufficient distance to permit the lowering of the top or cover against the rear wall 7.

In order to strengthen the crate when in the built-up form and also to protect the parts when folded, we secure, as at 24, to the side and end strips braces 23, the upper edges of which are upon a plane with the upper face of the lid or cover when the crate is folded.

lVe will now, assuming the crate to be in the built-up forni, describe the operation of folding.

The lid or cover is elevated and is held in the position shown in Fig. l of the drawings by reason of the bowed portions 1b of the links engaging the rear wall 7, or this lid or cover, when elevated so that the same is in a perfectly-vertical position, may be lowered against the rear wall 7, the links 17 sliding through the staples 25 when the lid or cover is held in this vertical position. The hooks 26, which hold the partition ll in its upright position, are disengaged from the eyes carried by the front and rear walls, and this partition folded toward one end of the crate, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. The hooks l0 are then disengaged from the eyes 9 andthe ends 3 folded inwardly toward each other, after which the front wall 5 is folded upon the ends, and the rear wall 7 and top or cover 14 folded upon the front wall 5, the position of all the parts when folded being fully shown in Figs. 6 and 8 of the drawings. The manner of reestablishing the crate to its built-up form will be readily understood.

le desire to call particular attention to the fact thatthe lid or cover may be held in the position shown in Fig. l of the drawings, or, if desired to leave the crate open, this lid or cover may be lowered against the back 7, and thus he out of the way.

It will be noted that various changes may be made in 'the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of our invention.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Tiie herein-described folding crate, made up of a bottom having end strips and side strips secured to its upper face with the side strips of greater depth than the end strips, ends 3 hinged to the end strips, a strip l2 secured to the upper face of the bottom centrally thereof, a partition l1 hinged to said strip 12, front and rear walls respectively hinged to the side strips, said rear wall being provided in its upper edge with recesses, and means for securing the end walls and the partition to the front and rear walls, combined with a top or cover, headed links connected at their one end to the under face of the top or cover near its forward edge and lying within the recesses of the rear wall with their other ends connected to the rear edge of said top or cover, and staples secured at an angle in the rear wall and engaging said links with their loops registering with the recesses in the said wall to form a hinge connection between the top and the rear wall and permit the lowering of said top or cover when in the vertical position against the said rear wall, as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

ALBERT BRAUN. ELI MOPHERSQN.

Witnesses:

JOHN NoLAND, A. M. HAYMAKER. 

